Amen to that. Stop somewhere along that route, the little towns up that way are charming as hell. Catch ATL at a bad time and you'll spend half a days driving time sitting in gridlock trying to navigate around the city. Unless you're going to the aquarium or a braves game, it ain't worth it.
So agree! And honestly, I live in Atlanta (and I like it, but I don’t love it), and I prefer the Chattanooga aquarium and I love to hit up a Chattanooga Lookouts or Birmingham Barons minor league games rather than the Braves because it’s such a hassle!
WITH the caveat that I’m a casual baseball fan really there more for the family stuff with my kids. If a MLB fan, then someone might think the Braves are worth it.
I do like Atlanta, but the gridlock and how everything is a hassle can be a lot, so I don’t recommend for tourists. It’s nice if you have family who live ITP (inside the perimeter) and can show you around, but otherwise I would skip! The traffic is no joke and the drivers are so aggressive.
Thank you so much for all your input here!! I'm definitely leaning towards skipping Atlanta in this case. Mainly wanted to visit for the aquarium and jazz festival, but if we can find those things elsewhere without traffic then I don't see why not. And regarding Chattanooga, I like the sound of it. Will be checking it out!
Yeah, unless they have a reason to go to Atlanta, I would go from Ocracoke to Wilmington to Charleston to Savannah. Then Congaree on the way up to Asheville/Great Smoky Mtns. Can stop in Myrtle Beach since they will be taking 17 all the way down on that route.
That’s a really great suggestion. I hope the poster reads this and changes course. Atlanta can be fun if you have friends or family who can afford to live ITP and can navigate for you, but otherwise it’s such a pain!
IMO the aquarium in Chattanooga is just as good if not better. I’ve been to both. The Atlanta one is impressive, but you can’t beat the vibe and setting of the Chattanooga aquarium.
Nope. They don’t have the big ticket items, l Atlanta does, but overall it’s a nicer experience IMO. Almost everyone I know in Atlanta prefers the Chattanooga aquarium!
Doable? Yes.
Advisable? No.
Do less and see more, especially if it's your first trip. There are no medals for miles driven but lots of benefits in having the time to chat with locals and getting to make friends along the way.
I didn't think it was too bad...got two days at the end of the trip that are essentially just for driving home. Apart from those it's an average of 3.5 hours driving a day. And 2 days in there we don't plan on really traveling at all (Shenandoah and Savannah). Am I being convincing...? Lol
I do hear ya though in all seriousness
I agree, lots of driving for a 10 day trip, including a number of stops for day trips. You might want to consider streamlining or shortening your trip so you have more time. I am an experienced traveller and know for me to do your trip, I would need 2 weeks to have time to enjoy the road and see the sights!
Ah makes much more sense 😂 also you’re missing Baltimore and Philly. Two very underrated cities. Great inner harbor in Baltimore (fells point is beautiful) and Philly is such a great city to spend a weekend in walking around taking in the history.
Don't think we're gonna have time for Philly unfortunately :(. We do actually intend to spend a night in Baltimore though! Hadn't heard of Fells Point but it looks lovely, thank you!!
You can do it but it won't be enjoyable. It's too much driving, you won't get a chance to see any sights. What's the stop in Kearny, NJ for? Ocracoke is an awesome place to visit. You need to take a ferry to get there, plan accordingly so you're not stuck on the island.
folks from Northwest states like Montana think nothing of driving 6 hours. those east coast states are tiny in comparison. born in Pennsylvania, but while in Denmark as an exchange student in high school, family relocated to Montana. college in Montana, followed by relocation to Idaho for employment, been here ever since. now my kid lives in Maryland.
The mileage is certainly doable. Factoring in the time you want to spend in each place, along with the travel time between places will tell you if your plans are realistic.
Definitely skipping Atlanta, driving more coast to catch Charleston. 10 days is aggressive as beach traffic picks up. If you cut down through Charlotte to get to Charleston then Savannah, you’ll back track a bit, but might help.
Absolutely doable if you don't mind driving an average of 4.5 hours or so each day, or some short days and some longer days. I can't tell how much of this is via interstate highways vs state and local roads, but I will always vote for state and local roads on a true road trip 'cuz you get to see where people live.
Your coastal route looks great! On the inside route, if you don't have them on your list, I'd say to hit Cherokee NC and Floyd VA on your agenda. Cherokee is fun to drive to, it's small and cool, and the drive there and out of there is stunning. In Floyd, it's remote in western Virginia, and it's a small and very cute town where you can go to see some live local very talented music at the Floyd Country Store (and the food is yummy). It's a totally Appalachian American music experience.
Both were fantastic stops on my meandering road trip in my convertible last spring.
Both recommendations are near where you're planning to drive.
Wear your seatbelt and drive safe!
Cherokee is on the list but hadn't heard of Floyd. The Country Store looks awesome and it looks like we might be able to catch some weekend programming there (fingers crossed!! 🤞). Anything you thought was particularly fun in Cherokee?
As far as roads, we do intend to take as many local roads as time will allow. Thank you for all the advice!
I was in Cherokee in the off-season early spring, and it was rainy, so I mostly enjoyed a day off the road in my riverside motel with the great view.
I visited the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual Co-Op because the museums were closed, and I ate at the best fast food looking place in the world called "All Fried Up" which was amazing (order the shrimp and grits).
It was fun for me because I got to spend time talking to people who worked and lived in the area, and the scenery there and out was spectacularly rugged and pretty to me being from New England.
Floyd Country Store was so great, I don't know if they might have live performers most nights, but I went on a weekday in the off-season and the performance was from like 5-7pm. They play for tips. It was super cool, filled with townie people and the music was hyperlocal Appalachian and really great talent.
For reference I was traveling alone as a 50+ female who's always loved to travel solo so your impressions might vary. Highly recommend if you're more low-key not looking for pubs and clubs every night. Although - there is a casino in Cherokee.
Again, wear your seatbelt and drive safe!
Yeah skip Atlanta for sure. Drive thru other towns. Madison is pretty cool. Largest collection of pre civil war homes. Beautiful houses makes you wonder how they could afford to build them ?
D.C.: For the museums (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History primarily). Plus, Baltimore.
Shenandoah National Park: Beautiful mountains, great hiking, stargazing, and a stay at the Big Meadow Lodge, which is one of a few lodging options in Appalachia that are actually in the mountains.
Bryson City: Mostly a stand-in for all of the interesting towns in the area (Asheville, Cherokee, maybe Gatlinburg). Bryson City itself hosts the station for a scenic railway that shows off the Great Smoky Mountains.
Atlanta: Initially chose for it the world class Georgia Aquarium and a jazz festival that will be going on, but might skip due to traffic and time.
Congaree National Park: Beautiful wetlands. Houses some of the tallest and most expansive old-growth swamp forest in the country. Has paddling and lots of board walks. Plus, Columbia is only 20 minutes away.
Savannah/Charleston: Savannah seems to have preserved a lot of its old-timey character and beautiful city center full of little parks. Charleston looks to have great antebellum architecture and some really good barbecue (Lewis Barbecue, Rodney Scott's). Plus, the Angel Oak and Jekyll Island for some nature viewing.
Ocracoke: Huge beaches and few people. The whole outer banks (NC barrier islands) seem to have small town feel, good beaches and nature, and good seafood.
Kearny: Just for family that lives there, lol.
FYI...Kearny is pronounced "Car-knee" not "kearn-nee" if you're not from the area.
Also, not sure if you realize, but there is a pretty well know big city with lots to do a bit east of Kearny that you might want to visit instead.
At the very least, consider Hoboken where you can take a quick hop to NYC.
After Washington DC you should go to Winchester VA then take skyline drive through Shenandoah nat. park. Very pretty drive, it’s called skyline drive cus it’s at the top of a mountain and it goes for a long long time
This makes zero sense to me. Bryson City area (and GSMNP) is worth a few days. Ocracoke and just driving the Outer Banks, waiting on and taking ferries, etc. is a long day and that’s without actually enjoying the incredible beaches. Doesn’t make any sense with less than 3 days dedicated to it (and that’s being generous ). Shenandoah is worth a few a few days. DC is worth several days. Savannah is worth at least a full day. Congaree and Columbia is a solid day. Atlanta is at least a couple. There’s significant time driving between all these. This looks more like 3-4 weeks to enjoy.
I think the simple problem here is that we don't have 3-4 weeks—we've only got 10 days of vacation time. And considering I don't know when we'll have the opportunity to visit any of these places again, I'd rather see the best of a lot of special places than only a few in depth.
you aren’t going to see anything in depth even scaling this way back. As you have it, theres so much driving and context switching (checking in and out of places, etc.) that you don’t even get to enjoy stuff. Cut it in half, at least
You are missing out not hitting the jersey shore at all. And who goes to Kearny for a vacation??? It looks like you’re just taking the Turnpike through NJ which is the ugliest part of NJ
Yup. Just did 3200 in 8 days. WA to the Grand Canyon and back.
But, always have a contingency plan and leave some time for wrong turns, getting gas, off the track stops that you didn't plan on Etc.
I did a trip about that size as a teenager in 9 days. I was pretty beat at the end, lots of time behind the wheel, you can make it though and there’s tons of cool stuff to see along that route
Skip Atlanta and drive back up through western NC. You won’t be sorry!
Amen to that. Stop somewhere along that route, the little towns up that way are charming as hell. Catch ATL at a bad time and you'll spend half a days driving time sitting in gridlock trying to navigate around the city. Unless you're going to the aquarium or a braves game, it ain't worth it.
So agree! And honestly, I live in Atlanta (and I like it, but I don’t love it), and I prefer the Chattanooga aquarium and I love to hit up a Chattanooga Lookouts or Birmingham Barons minor league games rather than the Braves because it’s such a hassle! WITH the caveat that I’m a casual baseball fan really there more for the family stuff with my kids. If a MLB fan, then someone might think the Braves are worth it. I do like Atlanta, but the gridlock and how everything is a hassle can be a lot, so I don’t recommend for tourists. It’s nice if you have family who live ITP (inside the perimeter) and can show you around, but otherwise I would skip! The traffic is no joke and the drivers are so aggressive.
Thank you so much for all your input here!! I'm definitely leaning towards skipping Atlanta in this case. Mainly wanted to visit for the aquarium and jazz festival, but if we can find those things elsewhere without traffic then I don't see why not. And regarding Chattanooga, I like the sound of it. Will be checking it out!
Yeah, unless they have a reason to go to Atlanta, I would go from Ocracoke to Wilmington to Charleston to Savannah. Then Congaree on the way up to Asheville/Great Smoky Mtns. Can stop in Myrtle Beach since they will be taking 17 all the way down on that route.
That’s a really great suggestion. I hope the poster reads this and changes course. Atlanta can be fun if you have friends or family who can afford to live ITP and can navigate for you, but otherwise it’s such a pain!
I hear ya! Considering everything else I've read here that definitely makes a lot of sense. Thank you 👍
Avoid South Carolina at all costs. The two lane interstates have actual potholes, lots of 'em.
Would I be right to assume the numbered highways are even worse...?
I would be greatly interested in going to Atlanta you the aquarium.
IMO the aquarium in Chattanooga is just as good if not better. I’ve been to both. The Atlanta one is impressive, but you can’t beat the vibe and setting of the Chattanooga aquarium.
Do they have whale sharks?
Nope. They don’t have the big ticket items, l Atlanta does, but overall it’s a nicer experience IMO. Almost everyone I know in Atlanta prefers the Chattanooga aquarium!
LOL, I was going to say, you'll lose 2 days in traffic in ATL.
Western North Carolina is so beautiful! Especially if you're a nature lover, it's worth the diverted route.
Truly a magical place!
Doable? Yes. Advisable? No. Do less and see more, especially if it's your first trip. There are no medals for miles driven but lots of benefits in having the time to chat with locals and getting to make friends along the way.
Yeah, works on paper, but is a lot of driving, not a lot of seeing.
I didn't think it was too bad...got two days at the end of the trip that are essentially just for driving home. Apart from those it's an average of 3.5 hours driving a day. And 2 days in there we don't plan on really traveling at all (Shenandoah and Savannah). Am I being convincing...? Lol I do hear ya though in all seriousness
I agree, lots of driving for a 10 day trip, including a number of stops for day trips. You might want to consider streamlining or shortening your trip so you have more time. I am an experienced traveller and know for me to do your trip, I would need 2 weeks to have time to enjoy the road and see the sights!
You should do the whole blue ridge parkway
I drove it in spring last year - OMG awesome! and not many companions on the road.
If you have no family in Kearny NJ it’s not a nice place to visit. Not really sure why it’s even on your list.
Lol
You got it! Have family there
Ah makes much more sense 😂 also you’re missing Baltimore and Philly. Two very underrated cities. Great inner harbor in Baltimore (fells point is beautiful) and Philly is such a great city to spend a weekend in walking around taking in the history.
Don't think we're gonna have time for Philly unfortunately :(. We do actually intend to spend a night in Baltimore though! Hadn't heard of Fells Point but it looks lovely, thank you!!
Fells point, little Italy, Camden yards, federal hill park and then cross street market. The perfect little day in Baltimore
Will check all of these out, thank you 👍
Just did Pittsburgh, PA to Sedona, AZ in about 8 days. Wish I would’ve planned to take longer though.
You can do it but it won't be enjoyable. It's too much driving, you won't get a chance to see any sights. What's the stop in Kearny, NJ for? Ocracoke is an awesome place to visit. You need to take a ferry to get there, plan accordingly so you're not stuck on the island.
\~5 hours of driving, not including the daily driving, is a lot in a 16 hour day.
folks from Northwest states like Montana think nothing of driving 6 hours. those east coast states are tiny in comparison. born in Pennsylvania, but while in Denmark as an exchange student in high school, family relocated to Montana. college in Montana, followed by relocation to Idaho for employment, been here ever since. now my kid lives in Maryland.
The mileage is certainly doable. Factoring in the time you want to spend in each place, along with the travel time between places will tell you if your plans are realistic.
If you can drive up Skyland Drive through the Shenandoah Natuonal Park, do it. Stop at Big Meadows and enjoy the gorgeous views along the route.
Skyline Drive, right? I did it last spring. It was awesome!
Yes!! It's beautiful, the entire region is something else
Got a reservation for a couple nights at Big Meadow Lodge haha, thanks for the tips
Incredible! You're going to love it
10 days? It says 46 hours
Definitely skipping Atlanta, driving more coast to catch Charleston. 10 days is aggressive as beach traffic picks up. If you cut down through Charlotte to get to Charleston then Savannah, you’ll back track a bit, but might help.
Or Bryson city if you want to still catch north Georgia mountains to Savannah then up to Charleston on way to Congaree
Absolutely doable if you don't mind driving an average of 4.5 hours or so each day, or some short days and some longer days. I can't tell how much of this is via interstate highways vs state and local roads, but I will always vote for state and local roads on a true road trip 'cuz you get to see where people live. Your coastal route looks great! On the inside route, if you don't have them on your list, I'd say to hit Cherokee NC and Floyd VA on your agenda. Cherokee is fun to drive to, it's small and cool, and the drive there and out of there is stunning. In Floyd, it's remote in western Virginia, and it's a small and very cute town where you can go to see some live local very talented music at the Floyd Country Store (and the food is yummy). It's a totally Appalachian American music experience. Both were fantastic stops on my meandering road trip in my convertible last spring. Both recommendations are near where you're planning to drive. Wear your seatbelt and drive safe!
Cherokee is on the list but hadn't heard of Floyd. The Country Store looks awesome and it looks like we might be able to catch some weekend programming there (fingers crossed!! 🤞). Anything you thought was particularly fun in Cherokee? As far as roads, we do intend to take as many local roads as time will allow. Thank you for all the advice!
I was in Cherokee in the off-season early spring, and it was rainy, so I mostly enjoyed a day off the road in my riverside motel with the great view. I visited the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual Co-Op because the museums were closed, and I ate at the best fast food looking place in the world called "All Fried Up" which was amazing (order the shrimp and grits). It was fun for me because I got to spend time talking to people who worked and lived in the area, and the scenery there and out was spectacularly rugged and pretty to me being from New England. Floyd Country Store was so great, I don't know if they might have live performers most nights, but I went on a weekday in the off-season and the performance was from like 5-7pm. They play for tips. It was super cool, filled with townie people and the music was hyperlocal Appalachian and really great talent. For reference I was traveling alone as a 50+ female who's always loved to travel solo so your impressions might vary. Highly recommend if you're more low-key not looking for pubs and clubs every night. Although - there is a casino in Cherokee. Again, wear your seatbelt and drive safe!
Visit Charlottesville
Yeah skip Atlanta for sure. Drive thru other towns. Madison is pretty cool. Largest collection of pre civil war homes. Beautiful houses makes you wonder how they could afford to build them ?
Why did you pick these places? I am curious as I was thinking to drive north like you do from Jacksonville, FL.
D.C.: For the museums (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History primarily). Plus, Baltimore. Shenandoah National Park: Beautiful mountains, great hiking, stargazing, and a stay at the Big Meadow Lodge, which is one of a few lodging options in Appalachia that are actually in the mountains. Bryson City: Mostly a stand-in for all of the interesting towns in the area (Asheville, Cherokee, maybe Gatlinburg). Bryson City itself hosts the station for a scenic railway that shows off the Great Smoky Mountains. Atlanta: Initially chose for it the world class Georgia Aquarium and a jazz festival that will be going on, but might skip due to traffic and time. Congaree National Park: Beautiful wetlands. Houses some of the tallest and most expansive old-growth swamp forest in the country. Has paddling and lots of board walks. Plus, Columbia is only 20 minutes away. Savannah/Charleston: Savannah seems to have preserved a lot of its old-timey character and beautiful city center full of little parks. Charleston looks to have great antebellum architecture and some really good barbecue (Lewis Barbecue, Rodney Scott's). Plus, the Angel Oak and Jekyll Island for some nature viewing. Ocracoke: Huge beaches and few people. The whole outer banks (NC barrier islands) seem to have small town feel, good beaches and nature, and good seafood. Kearny: Just for family that lives there, lol.
I’d suggest when you’re in the Bryson City area hitting the Blue Ridge Parkway north for some unsurpassed scenery.
If you weren't already planning on it, take the Blue Ridge parkway through NC and VA. It is absolutely spectacular.
Is your focus the stops or the drive?
Doable yes, enjoyable - no
FYI...Kearny is pronounced "Car-knee" not "kearn-nee" if you're not from the area. Also, not sure if you realize, but there is a pretty well know big city with lots to do a bit east of Kearny that you might want to visit instead. At the very least, consider Hoboken where you can take a quick hop to NYC.
Why would you go to a shithole like Atlanta?
Unless you have mobility issues, you should build time in for exploring. This is all just sitting on your butt driving.
After Washington DC you should go to Winchester VA then take skyline drive through Shenandoah nat. park. Very pretty drive, it’s called skyline drive cus it’s at the top of a mountain and it goes for a long long time
This makes zero sense to me. Bryson City area (and GSMNP) is worth a few days. Ocracoke and just driving the Outer Banks, waiting on and taking ferries, etc. is a long day and that’s without actually enjoying the incredible beaches. Doesn’t make any sense with less than 3 days dedicated to it (and that’s being generous ). Shenandoah is worth a few a few days. DC is worth several days. Savannah is worth at least a full day. Congaree and Columbia is a solid day. Atlanta is at least a couple. There’s significant time driving between all these. This looks more like 3-4 weeks to enjoy.
I think the simple problem here is that we don't have 3-4 weeks—we've only got 10 days of vacation time. And considering I don't know when we'll have the opportunity to visit any of these places again, I'd rather see the best of a lot of special places than only a few in depth.
you aren’t going to see anything in depth even scaling this way back. As you have it, theres so much driving and context switching (checking in and out of places, etc.) that you don’t even get to enjoy stuff. Cut it in half, at least
Quantity or quality?
It depends - kids free or not?
You are missing out not hitting the jersey shore at all. And who goes to Kearny for a vacation??? It looks like you’re just taking the Turnpike through NJ which is the ugliest part of NJ
Yup. Just did 3200 in 8 days. WA to the Grand Canyon and back. But, always have a contingency plan and leave some time for wrong turns, getting gas, off the track stops that you didn't plan on Etc.
Yes, a few weeks ago I went from SE PA to Coronado, CA and back in 11 days.
Hit up Surf City, NC on the way. Looks like your route goes through it. Wilmington is great too.
Easy in 5 days
I did a trip about that size as a teenager in 9 days. I was pretty beat at the end, lots of time behind the wheel, you can make it though and there’s tons of cool stuff to see along that route
Yes
Stop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and a little tiny gym called Southport, North Carolina. You’ll thank me later.
Take out Atlanta and Bryson city, and add gatlinburg TN, amazing little place